Teaching Dragons to Swim
by stardust n dreams
Summary: Hermione and Draco both go on vacation after their 7th year with their families (Draco with just his mother.) But, they both end up renting the same vacation home. Of course, there is much fighting, but could love blossom? Of course!


a/n…I hate myself for starting this story, but its calling to me! And seeing as Always and Forever is almost finished, I need a good follow up! This takes place mostly outside of Hogwarts for those of you who are going to click out right now just because I said that…just stop and read at least the first chapter But the beginning is the very end of their 7th year. Now…I wrote this after a movie I saw on FOX Family or something like that, and I think it's called Timeshare, but I'm not sure. If not, then sue me. no, just kidding, please don't! This may not seem like a D/H story to begin with, but I assure you it will be!

Disclaimer…Yadda yadda, I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters, JK Rowling does, and I don't own the movie on which this is based, FOX Family does. So now you can't sue me! BUT…I do own Jeff, I just included him for kicks, and of course…there will be problems including him. _grins_

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"Harry, please promise me you'll write." Hermione Granger pleaded to her friend, he laughed and ruffled her hair.

"Of course I will, what do you think I am? Bloody mad?"

"Considering you just killed the darkest wizard of all time…yes." She said seriously, but trying to fight back a smile.

"Hey, he didn't do it alone ya' know!" A redhead announced from beside him.

"Yes, yes, of course Ron. You were off fighting death eaters, you're mad as well. Feel better?" Hermione smirked.

"Much." Ron said proudly.

Hermione sat back against the chairs in her private common room that she shared with the Head Boy. "I'm going to miss this place so much." She sighed.

"We all will." Harry said with a comforting hand on her shoulder. "This place is our home."

"It'll be so strange to go home for the summer, and then know that I won't be coming back here, back to all of my friends." She said, a lump forming in her throat and tears welling in her eyes.

Ron hugged his friend, "Now none of that Hermione, you promised." He laughed, pushing her chin up with the backs of his fingers.

"Right, well," She paused, looking around the room. "I guess we should get down to the feast."

"Yes, lets." Ginny chimed in from the corner of the room. She had been sitting there watching as her best friend, her brother, and her boyfriend, all said their tearful goodbyes. She hadn't wanted to interrupt the golden-trio's last moments together.

"You're lucky Gin, you're coming back next year." Hermione laughed, brushing a stray tear from her cheek.

"Lucky? No I'm not, none of you will be here anymore." She said, looking at the floor and tucking a strand of red curls behind her ear.

"Lets get out of here before the watergates open again, please." Ron said, pushing the group toward the door.

"Just, let me check my room once more, make sure I didn't miss anything." Hermione said, "You go ahead, I'll catch up."

Catching the hint that she wanted to be alone, her friends left the room and began walking down toward the Great Hall. Harry placed his arm around Ginny, and Ron walked beside his best friend.

Hermione sat down on her bed, glancing around the room one last time. She knew she hadn't forgotten anything, she just wanted to take one last look by herself. This year had been the best of her life, it had started out horribly, considering Malfoy had been Head Boy with her being Head Girl, but when his title had been revoked and a very nice Ravenclaw had replaced him, it had been wonderful. She had taken pride in deducting points from Draco every chance she got.

She had gotten even closer with Ron and Harry since the defeat of Voldemort around Christmas time, she still didn't like to talk about it though. That was in the past as far as she was concerned, and now everyone could sleep peacefully again.

Of course, she couldn't sleep peacefully again, she had never done that to begin with. Now she was leaving her home, the one place she trusted most, and there was nothing she could do about it.

The Head Girl sighed, standing up and smoothing out her graduation robes. Taking one last look around the room, she started toward the Great Hall.

She took a seat at the head table next to the Head Boy and smiled at him. "I guess this is it, isn't it?"

"Yeah, you have your speech all ready?"

"Yeah, I was up all night writing it." She laughed, amazed he hadn't heard her raving all night about how horrible it was.

"It was really great to spend this year with you Jeff." She said.

"You too, Hermione. I'm glad I go to know you better." He ran a hand over his light brown hair, blue eyes studying her face.

"Here goes Dumbledore." She sighed, facing the Headmaster as he stood up and gained attention with a tap of his spoon to his water glass.

"Another year has ended, with a bang I might say. This was the year that the Dark Lord was defeated. I won't go into details, you all know the story, but I would like to take this time to mourn those students who were lost in the initial attack. So if you would all bow your heads and take this time to say a prayer or whatnot for them." There was a moment of silence as all the students bowed their heads to remember their lost classmates. Hermione thought of Neville, and how brave he had been, trying to take down that death eater like that.

"Now, that's enough of mourning, time for celebration!" Dumbledore closed his eyes tightly and stood there, scrunching his nose and pulling his hands into balls.

"He looks…constipated." Jeff whispered from beside Hermione, it took all she had not to burst into a fit of giggles.

"Alas, apparently I can't wiggle my nose, so I guess a wave of the hand will have to do." The red-faced Headmaster said, waving his arm to a great amount of laughter, as piles of food appeared on the tables.

"Our last meal." Hermione whispered, piling her plate with food.

"What was that?" Jeff said from beside her, his mouth full of chicken.

Hermione had to laugh, "Nothing."

Jeff shrugged and went back to his chicken drumstick and Hermione looked across the hall and down to the tables. Harry and Ron were having a heated discussion, Hermione inferred it was probably about Quidditch because Ron was using a breadstick and waving it through the air as if it were a broom. Ginny was talking to one of her 6th year friends, and everyone seemed pretty happy. She looked toward the Slytherin table, her eyes scanning it up and down, Draco sat between his two enormous cronies, and Pansy sat across from him. The blonde had a scowl on his face as he looked at Pansy who was talking animatedly with her hands.

"You really should eat you know." Jeff said, taking a drink of his pumpkin juice.

"Oh, yes. I was just daydreaming." She said, looking down at her plate and spooning some mashed potatoes into her mouth.

"So what are your plans for the summer?" He asked after Hermione had eaten a little more of the food on her plate.

"My parents claimed that they have a big surprise for me when I get home." She shrugged, probably some ruddy family vacation. "You?"

"Sitting at home, then after that I'm going off to be trained to work in the Ministry." He said happily.

"Congratulations." She smiled. "I don't even know what to decide to do, so many options open to me, it'll be a hard decision." She said, and it was true. There were so many different departments that wanted her in the Ministry, but she just didn't want to work there.

"Yeah, my mum and dad both want me to work there, and I've always wanted to. So why not, right?" He gave a lopsided grin and Hermione nodded.

"As long as you're happy."

After the food had been cleared and the chatter had died down, Hermione became increasingly more nervous toward giving her speech. Dumbledore gave a small one before introducing Hermione to give hers. She stood up at the podium set up and smiled at her friends and classmates.

Don't be nervous, they're all your friends. She thought to herself.

"You have no idea at all how long it took me to get this speech just the way I wanted it. I was up for night on end, just trying to perfect it. But I don't like it anymore." She began, holding up her speech in her hand. "So…I'm going to wing it and just say what I feel." She threw the parchment down to the floor and looked up, Harry and Ron both had broad grins on their faces and shook their heads for her to go ahead.

"When I first came here, I had no friends at all, I was so depressed my mom almost took me out. But then, I met Harry and Ron. After a rough first year, we were best friends. Harry was of course, the Boy Who Lived, everyone had heard of him, but he was so much more to me. Ron was the redheaded, and red-hot tempered youngest brother of a wonderful family. They both taught me so much, and they're both like my brothers. They're of course not my only friends I've met in my days at Hogwarts, but they're my best friends. We've been through so much together, as you all know, we defeated _him_ together. We've had our differences, of course, what friends don't, but we're still best friends all the same. I'm not going to talk today about my friends, I've done that already. Today, I'm going to tell you what I've learned from them. I've learned that its loyalty and friendship that get you through everything, and its power, not purity, that proves how good of a person you are. You all know, thanks to a certain blonde Slytherin I'm sure, that I'm not of pureblood, in fact, I'm of muggle heritage." She stopped to take a look at Malfoy who glared back at her.

"But, I still helped to defeat the Dark Lord with the power of my friends. Friendship is the most powerful weapon of all, friendship, loyalty, and love. Loyalty, staying true to your friends, is just part of that power. And love. Love is what has kept the three of us together all of those years, I love you Harry, and I love you Ron, you're both like brothers to me, and that is why our friendship is so strong." She stopped, taking a moment to smile at them.

"And so, to end my speech, I'd like to give a quote by a famous Muggle named Joseph Roux about losing a friend, not because I've lost one, but because I'm leaving them and I hope never to lose them. We call that person who has lost his father, an orphan, and a widower that man who has lost his wife. But that man who has known the immense unhappiness in losing a friend, by what name do we call him? Here, every language is silent and holds its peace in impotence."

By the end of the speech, everyone was in tears, or at least close to them. With the exception of Malfoy. Hermione sat down and listened as Jeff gave his speech about his teachers. Looking at the broad grins on Harry and Ron's faces.

"Great speech." She said when he sat down next to her.

"Thanks, you too." He smiled at her and held her eye for a moment before Dumbledore began to speak again.

"Now, for the graduation ceremony. I would like all 7th years to line up, alphabetically please." He waited until there was a line settled in front of him. "Very good. Now, I will call you by name and would you please come up and receive your diploma. These papers are very important, they signify that you have completed your years at Hogwarts and you can no do magic outside of school." He smiled again, dark eyes shining with excitement.

As he named off the list, Hermione thought of at least one memory that had to do with each person. She had been daydreaming until she heard her name.

"Hermione Granger." She looked up at the headmaster and began to walk up the steps to him and the line of teachers beside him. She took her diploma, and without stopping to think, just hugged the Headmaster. He of course hugged her back and she went down the line of teachers. By the time she had taken her seat, Dumbledore was up to the M's, she watched as Draco Malfoy received his diploma, wondering if he would end up being the next Voldemort. His father had died, and now he only had his mother left, she wondered at all if he had changed.

"Harry Potter." Dumbledore said proudly, and the entire student body suddenly got very quiet. Harry walked up to the old Headmaster, took his diploma, and went to go down the line of teachers when all of a sudden there was a clapping sound. Everyone looked around, but Hermione was the first to see it. Severus Snape stood at the end of the teachers line, clapping. For Harry Potter.

After the initial shock of Snape clapping for Harry wore off, everyone clapped all together. Hermione wore a broad grin as he came down to sit next to her.

"Ronald Weasley." Dumbledore said a few moments later, Hermione watched as Ron received his diploma and went through the line.

After everyone had gotten their diplomas and sat down at their own house tables, Dumbledore stood again, for the last time that night.

"This year is now over, and we've lost one of our finest classes to the world. I hope you all do well in your lives, and prosper to your fullest. Never let anything stand in your way. Whether it be a werewolf, the murderer of your parents, or just a boggart in the closet. As Hermione said earlier, your friends are your greatest strength. Take pride in them." With that he ended his speech and dismissed the hall. They were now free to go down to the station and wait for the Hogwarts Express to take them back to London.

"It's over, Harry." Hermione whispered to her friend, he looked up at her sadly.

"No, it'll never be over Hermione. We can always call this place home."

Once they got down to the platform, they said their goodbyes to their teachers. Hagrid was a mess, sobbing hysterically.

"No, no, its okay Hagrid. Please don't cry, we promise to write you every month if we have to." Hermione comforted.

"Ye' promise?"

"Of course Hagrid." Harry chimed in, watching as the great scarlet steam engine pulled into the station.

"One last hug Hagrid." Ron said, pulling his friends in close to the half-giant. "We'll miss you."

"Yes, I'll miss you ever so much Hagrid, make sure you come and visit sometime!" Hermione smiled.

"G'bye everyone." He sniffed, searching through his coat to find an oversized handkerchief.

"Bye Hagrid, we love you." Harry said, boarding the train along with his friends. They found their compartment and looked out the window, waving to him.

Once the train began to move they all sat back and relaxed. Hermione sighed and looked out the window.

"What's wrong Hermione?" Ron asked, scooting over next to her.

"Nothing. I think I'll go for a walk, sit up in the head's compartment for a little bit." She smiled to show that nothing was wrong.

"Alright. We'll be here." Harry said, turning back to Ginny who was cuddled up against him.

Hermione walked out and Harry looked at Ron. "When are you gonna do it, mate?"

"I'm still not sure, she seems so depressed and all that. I don't want to add to her confusion." The redhead sighed, putting his chin in his hands.

"Maybe that's what could cheer her up though." Ginny reasoned.

"I guess I will once she gets back, ask her to go for a walk or something."

"Good idea." Harry agreed.

Meanwhile, Hermione walked up toward the front compartments, hoping to find Jeff in their private box. Sure enough, there he sat, reading the Witches Weekly. She didn't bother knocking but entered cautiously.

"Hey Jeff." She said softly.

"Oh, hey Hermione. You scared me." He smiled, putting the paper down on the seat.

"Sorry, I just needed away from it all." She said, sitting down on the seat across from him.

"So you came to me?" He laughed, showing those white teeth of his again.

"I figured, why not, you were always good for a laugh."

"I suppose so." He said, looking out the window. "Hermione…"

She looked up at him, "Yes?"

"Never mind, its not important anymore." He sighed, waving his hand as if to brush the thought away.

"What isn't? Or at least, why not?"

"I'm not going to see you anymore, its pointless."

Hermione had a feeling she knew what was coming, and she didn't mind. She had secretly been harboring a crush on Jeff since she had met him. But of course it would have been bad for her title to say anything, so she kept it a secret. She got up and went over to sit on the bench beside him, he looked up at her and she smiled.

"Jeff," She started, taking his hands in hers.

"No, its no matter Hermione, its too late now."

Being the stubborn person that she was, she wanted to tell him to shut up and listen to her, but of course she couldn't do that. So she did the only thing she knew to do to get him to be quiet. She kissed him.

He was surprised for a moment, but he kissed her back. Softly at first, but Hermione increased the pressure and Jeff gladly obliged. This was nice for her to just vent some frustration and in a wonderful way.

After a few moments, Hermione pulled away, slightly out of breath and lips swollen. The grin on her face hid it well though, and Jeff was the same.

"Its never too late Jeff." She said softly, putting her forehead to his. He kissed her softly on the lips again and pulled away from her, hoping she would settle up against him, she did. He held her for what seemed like the longest time, just absorbing her presence.

"I should get back, they'll be wondering where I am." She whispered, moving to get up.

"Hermione, promise me I'll see you again." He said, keeping her next to him.

"I promise Jeff, like I said, its not the end." She kissed him softly on the lips before getting up.

"Wait for me once we get off the train, will you?" He called as she was about to leave the car.

"Yes, of course." She smiled, blowing him a kiss and walking out the door. There was a huge grin on her face as she walked toward the compartment where she had originally came from. She came in to see Ron staring out the window and Harry and Ginny peacefully asleep against each other.

"They look cute." She giggled softly as she took a seat next to Ron opposite the sleeping couple.

"Yeah." He said offhandedly. "Hey Mione?" She looked up at him waiting for him to continue. "Can we go for a walk?"

"Sure, Ron." She smiled, standing up with him and leaving the two alone in the compartment as they slept. The train just kept rolling right on home.

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a/n…well, this is nothing like it will turn out to be, I just decided to start it here. Draco didn't do much in this chapter, but he will later, I promise. Until then!

Love and Fluff,

Natalie


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